News Desk · updated October 21, 2026
AgentCOS News Desk: real estate news for agents
Real estate news for agents across the U.S.: mortgage rates, home sales, inventory, new construction, forecasts and the Fed. Each story is written in plain words, every number is checked against the original release and sourced, and each one ends with what it means for your buyers and sellers. Free to read.
Live numbers. The full set, every state included: U.S. market statistics
Latest
- Foreclosures and distress
Foreclosures are rising from a low base: the fall 2026 numbers agents should know
Foreclosure filings, starts and bank repossessions are all higher than a year ago, and the pipeline of homes in foreclosure grew 41%. Volumes are still below pre-pandemic levels. Here is what the two main trackers say, and why their counts differ.
40,277U.S. properties with a foreclosure filing, August 2026 (+13% from a year earlier, ATTOM)5,794completed foreclosures (bank repossessions), August 2026 (+42%, ATTOM)298,000loans in foreclosure, end of August 2026 (+41% from a year earlier, ICE)57%foreclosure sales as a share of August 2019's pace (ICE)October 21, 2026 - Foreclosures and distress
FHA delinquencies near 12%: how agents can help owners before foreclosure
More than one FHA loan in nine was behind on payments in mid-2026, and loans are moving into later stages of delinquency. Here is what the numbers say and how agents can help an owner before the lender sets a sale date.
October 21, 2026 - Home sales
Pending home sales fall to a record low as 7% mortgage rates bite
Signed contracts on existing homes dropped 7.3% in September, pushing NAR's Pending Home Sales Index to its lowest level on record. Every region fell.
October 21, 2026 - New construction
Builder confidence falls to 29 and 43% of builders cut prices; housing starts drop 5.2%
Home builder confidence fell to its lowest level since 2012 in October, and a record share of builders cut prices. Separately, September housing starts fell 5.2%, though Census says that drop is within its margin of error.
October 21, 2026 - Mortgage rates
Mortgage rates hold at 7.40%, the highest since November 2023
The 30-year fixed rate averaged 7.40% in Freddie Mac's survey for a second week, after seven straight weekly increases. On a $400,000 loan that is about $300 a month more than a year ago.
October 21, 2026 - Inventory and prices
U.S. listings pass 1.16 million as one in five sellers cuts the price
Realtor.com's September 2026 data shows more homes for sale, more price cuts and fewer pending contracts than a year ago. The median list price slipped 1.4%, partly because the typical listing got smaller.
October 21, 2026 - Forecasts and the Fed
Fannie Mae now expects 7.5% mortgage rates through 2027
Fannie Mae's economists raised their mortgage rate forecast by almost a full point in one month and now see no relief through 2027. A reminder of how fast forecasts move.
October 21, 2026 - Home sales
Existing-home sales tick up to 3.99 million, and the median price gain slows to 1.3%
NAR's September report shows closings edged up, but those contracts were written before rates hit 7%. Inventory reached 4.8 months of supply and homes took 33 days to sell.
October 21, 2026
By topic
Every story, by topic
Foreclosures and distressMortgage ratesHome salesInventory and pricesNew constructionForecasts and the Fed
Foreclosures and distress
Mortgage rates
- Mortgage rates hold at 7.40%, the highest since November 2023 October 21, 2026
Home sales
Inventory and prices
New construction
Forecasts and the Fed
- Fannie Mae now expects 7.5% mortgage rates through 2027 October 21, 2026
How we work
News you can repeat to a client
We read the original release (NAR, Census Bureau, Freddie Mac, NAHB, the Federal Reserve, Realtor.com data) before we write. When the original is not public, we confirm each number in two outlets and say who reported it. Each story names its sources at the bottom, with dates and links.
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